This quote from Marie Forleo is transcendent.

It speaks to the heart of anyone who is feeling stuck.

For the pet parents I serve, feeling stuck often coincides with being frustrated by what their dogs are doing or not doing.

What’s shifted things is sharing with the pet parents I work with about the growth cycle.

The Body Mind Coaching Program taught me how confusion and frustration is apart of doing something new.

Those sensations not only tell you you’re approaching your comfort zone and expanding your awareness, but it is also informing you about something deeper when you ask, “what is this trying to say to me?”

One of my pet parents was sharing with me the other day about her Great Pyrenees, Hank who had a hard time being out in loads of distracting environments.

So much so, he growled at a couple of family members that he met previously.

During those tense moments, her frustration was focused on what Hank was doing rather than how he was feeling.

When she had some space to reflect on these moments, she shared that he didn’t feel safe.

When I asked her what the frustration was trying to tell her, she shared, she need to go slow and take more time for Hank!

Yes!

“Everything is Figureoutable!”

The dog training culture is so hyper focused on the dog meeting our expectations, but this isn’t fair to us or the dogs.

This will lead both the pet parent and dog into frustration every time.

Giving space for our dogs to be dogs that is safe and they can trust they are safe will open doors for us and them.

Rather than reeling in control and thinking we have to be the boss.

I’m encouraging all my pet parents to offer more freedom and choice to their dogs.

This is a growth edge for many of us.

It’s also ok when you feel frustration and confusion bubble up.

I’m here to guide you in identifying what support gets to look like for you while coaching you in strengthening the relationship with your dog in dog friendly ways.

Are you curious about wanting a different life for you and your dog? Do you desire more freedom and joy? Set up a Discovery Call with me.

Join dog behavior consultants Roman Gottfried and Katherine Porter for a two-day Virtual Puppy Parenting Retreat on October 15th and 16th from 9 am to 3 pm PST. The cost is an amazingly affordable $149 for both days.

If you are feeling at a loss and don’t know where to start with your puppy, this is the perfect time to take a step back, take a deep breath, and equip yourself with new knowledge to bring peace into your life.

If you feel frustrated about your puppy’s unwanted or unpleasant behavior, we’ll help you to understand WHY they may be behaving that way. Once you know that, you can help them shift into behaviors that you prefer. Knowledge is power!

If you struggle to find the motivation to spend time with your puppy, you’ll get some great new ideas to take your relationship to the next level. Build your bond one step, one ball throw, one snuggle at a time, and start loving each minute you spend with your pup!

Here’s what you’ll experience when you attend the Virtual Puppy Parenting Retreat:
✔️ A paradigm-shifting science-based perspective of puppy parenting.

✔️ Access to expert behavior consultants Roman Gottfried and Katherine Porter to ask questions and find tailored solutions to your concerns.

✔️ Insight into modern relationship-based trauma-informed dog training that aligns with your values and the key to a happy and well-adjusted dog.

✔️ A greater understanding of developmental milestones.

✔️ A holistic approach to your puppy’s health and wellness.

✔️ A connection with your puppy’s emotional, social, biological, and enrichment needs.

✔️ Clarity in how to safely, humanely, and lovingly guide your puppy to make good choices for things like housetraining, jumping, nipping, and socialization.

✔️ A safe and supportive community where you can share your puppy-rearing struggles and successes.

✔️ Learn how to create ease in your puppy’s day-to-day schedule, so you can also have some relief and take care of yourself.

✔️ Create a stress-free, fear-free, and frustration-free environment which will reduce the likelihood of trauma, reactivity, and aggression as your puppy grows into adulthood.

This retreat will help you create a stronger connection with your pup and give you the tools you need to find joy in a rewarding relationship.

It’s not enough to think your way to being empathetic or compassionate.

It’s not top down.

It’s bottom up.

The emotional experience of pain, grief, rage, frustration and even love, pleasure, play all start from what the body feels first and informs the mind how to act.

The body has a physiological response to a situation and then sends the information up to the brain for the person to take action.

What’s interesting, dogs also have similar emotional systems and have a physiological response to a situation where they are motivated to respond because of how they feel.

Understanding this related ability to our companions gives us the choice to empathize with our dogs suffering and celebrate in their joy because we know how we feel when we experience those real feelings. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/11/feature-cultivating-empathy

When we feel empathetic to another, we can then show them kindness and love by providing them comfort when they are struggling physically or emotionally because we can relate to the feeling.

A pet parent shared with me that when she observed another trainer teach a leash walking skill to a fellow student, the student was confused because the lessen being taught was complicated.

She shared, “if I’m confused, my dog will be confused too.”

Absolutely.

Not only does this pet parent understand how she feels when observing a situation and knowing herself well enough in how she learns and takes in new information, she also possesses the emotional understanding of how this experience would be on her dog too.

If she’s not clear with the information she’s receiving, she would not be able to effectively teach her dog the steps of what to do too.

She knows that feeling confused can feel paralyzing.

Not only is this pet parent motivated by the desire to have clarity in learning which will travel down the leash and through her relationship with her dog, she’s also motivated to have her dog feel differently about the learning experience.

She desires her dog to enjoy learning.

That’s the name of the game. When we experience the feeling of joy and freedom that comes with having fun, we want the feeling to last and we want more of this!

So do our dogs.

Be curious about what you’re body is telling you because this can open your heart to what your dog is emotionally expressing too.

Curious about how you can deepen your awareness of yourself through your relationship with your dog?

Register for the Virtual Puppy Parenting Retreat for an introduction:

Sign up today
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